Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 14 December 2016

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Ferry Services to Inis Mór: Discussion

2:15 pm

Mr. Simon Murray:

I would like to pick up on what Ms Ní Ghóill has said in the broader context of all the islands. Galway County Council used to have an islands committee for the three Aran Islands and Inishbofin. It met at least once every six months. Mr. Kelly is probably the only person in attendance who was originally a member of the committee. We all found it to be a very effective platform for direct dialogue. We used to meet the senior representatives in each section every six months or so to discuss the island issues. I always felt that problems associated with things that were happening, or were due to happen in the future, were headed off by being discussed at these meetings. Many matters were dealt with within the council at that level. I have been calling for the reinstatement of this committee since 2007 or 2008. I am calling on the representatives of the council who are present at this meeting to consider the matter. The existence of such a committee would give us a recognition within the council. It would show that the council is willing to meet representatives of the four islands in Galway to deal with council-related issues that are arising or are planned for the future. I wonder whether we would be here today if such a forum was still in place. It is a question of communications. I do not think it is too much to ask for people to sit down for an hour or an hour and a half every six months. I think such dialogue will be crucial from here on in.

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